Bull shark kills Pennsylvania woman -

[johndiver999]

LOL calling a lady old is worse than referring to her maimed body as a "top water lure". You're right, I'm out of this thread.

 

[Rollin Bonz]

Well the person earlier in the thread equated snorkelers to top water lures. You indicated that it is unwise to drop snorkelers in a feeding location. Since you referenced snorkelers rather than scuba divers, I assume your comments were specific to snorkelers and not to bubble blowers.
Thanks for the clarification.

Also, do you really think that an old lady from Pennsylvania has a realistic view of the hazards of snorkeling with sharks that have been fed in a foreign country? What data would she use to formulate a valid estimate of risk?

I think it would be a statement towards the excursion ops. Obviously not the "old lady"'s (YOUR words not mine!) fault for not knowing.

 

[Johnoly]

What data would she use to formulate a valid estimate of risk?

Reading the entire waiver she signed would be a valid estimate of risk.

 

[mcohen1021]

the person earlier in the thread equated snorkelers to top water lures

Snorkelers, swimmers, kayakers, surfers, and anybody else doing stuff at the surface are shark bait, these things will happen as long as you are acting like food

If you don't want to get bit by a shark, don't go in the water - it is their world!

 

[drrich2]

Snorkelers, swimmers, kayakers, surfers, and anybody else doing stuff at the surface are shark bait, these things will happen as long as you are acting like food

But it happens such a tiny % of the time relative to the people in the water over time, that there's no reasonable expectation of significant risk for the average participant.

And the old adage 'Where you stand on an issue depends on where you sit' comes into play. If the general public becomes convinced that anyone at the surface is shark bait, they won't cede use of the oceans to the sharks. They'll engage in shark culls.

 

[mcohen1021]

But it happens such a tiny % of the time relative to the people in the water over time, that there's no reasonable expectation of significant risk for the average participant.

Well I certainly stopped doing anything other than scuba in the ocean years ago mainly bc shark attacks have increased, or it seems to have. On the rare occasion I decide to annoy myself with beach/sand, I dip to cool off and get right back out.

And the old adage 'Where you stand on an issue depends on where you sit' comes into play. If the general public becomes convinced that anyone at the surface is shark bait, they won't cede use of the oceans to the sharks. They'll engage in shark culls.

Agree and it sucks

 

[crofrog]

Carry a TCCC-approved tourniquet and know how to use it.

 

[RobPNW]

Unfortunately that's what happens when you act like a top water lure (snorkeling).

Condolences

Considering that the highest risk is at the surface, splashing around, just curious, on shark dives, what if any are special provisions for ingress and egress procedures? Never been on one.

 

[mcohen1021]

Considering that the highest risk is at the surface, splashing around, just curious, on shark dives, what if any are special provisions for ingress and egress procedures? Never been on one.

None to be honest. Only time its ever been an "issue" was @ Red Sea with the oceanic white tips.

We had sharks on every single dive in TnC last week day and night - never was an issue.

What WAS a huge issue was those ferocious yellow tailed damselfish!

 

[drrich2]

Considering that the highest risk is at the surface, splashing around, just curious, on shark dives, what if any are special provisions for ingress and egress procedures? Never been on one.

A lot depends on where you are. I've seen a couple of posts in the past where people who dive in areas known for great whites tended to keep surface time to a minimum, IIRC.

On the other hand, someone snorkeling off the mainstream west coast of Bonaire wouldn't have that concern, and even a diver would be highly unlikely to see a shark there (10 trips and haven't seen one in Bonaire yet).

So, where are you snorkeling? What are the common local shark species? Are there plenty of other people around, so if someone gets hit it's less likely to be you? Is visibility good, and is this up in the day vs. twilight, etc...?

I've been on 2 cruise snorkeling excursions, Barbados and Roatan, and neither entailed any instruction about mitigating shark attack risk.